Family Court to open soon

Georgetown : Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall informed that furnishings are currently being installed in the long-awaited Family Court. He was at the time responding to questions by APNU MP, Basil Williams in the National Assembly.

He explained that this court will have some unique features in terms of furnishing that are not available in any other court. He anticipates an official opening very soon, but reminded that this decision will be finalised by the judicial administration.

An important pre-requisite for the operationalising of the court was the drafting of the Family Court rules. These have since been completed to the Clerk of the National Assembly to comply with the formal requirements of gazetting.

Early last year, training was conducted for judges and the Supreme Court Registry staff on the use of the family court rules by a judge who was responsible for the drafting of the said rules.

With regards to the appointment of judges, this responsibility falls under the purview of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), which has already conducted interviews with prospective judges. 

The Family Court is the first of its kind in Guyana; it is located within the precincts of the Supreme Court in Georgetown.

 The initiative of a Family Court was prompted by the awareness that the family unit is severely affected by societal demoralisation.

This recognition has motivated the need to place emphasis on providing an environment where adults and children can seek justice, and where family law can be dealt with in a specialised manner.

The new facility will handle issues such as divorce, division of property, domestic matters, adoption, guardianship and custody. The court will work in close collaboration with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, the Probation and Social Services Department, and the Child Care and Protection Agency.

The-Family-Court